


Book 1: Friendships in the making

by pixiespowder



Series: Hogwarts AU [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia
Genre: Adventures, Alternate Universe - Harry Potter, Alternate Universe - Hogwarts, Alternate Universe - Magic, Childhood, Friendship, Fun, Gen, Goofery, Hawks care-taker is nice, Hawks has a fun Childhood, Humour, Really soft and nice, School, Shenanigans, The Commission isn't entirely evil
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-27
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:48:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,287
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27738688
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pixiespowder/pseuds/pixiespowder
Summary: It is Hawks first year at the wizarding school of Hogwarts and he has one goal, to have fun.Hawks wants to make friends and memories, get into a lot of trouble, get out of most trouble.Too bad the Commission wants him to be studying and behaving nice and proper. That's not how kids work, has no one ever told them?Introducing magic shenanigans, wacky friends, fun adventures and Hawks' formula against bordom:A sprinkle of chaos, a desire to have fun and no regard to rules._________This work aims to be entirely Angst-free. I'd go so far as to say anti-angst. It is time for positive vibes.Maybe if I finish this book and write books on Hawks' further years at Hogwarts there might be some more serious topics. I would really like to, as I already have some nice concepts. Though I can guarantee, even when things are more serious my series will remain angst-free. I'm just not into topics that make people or characters uncomfortable.However! This book is barely seriousness, a kid-friendly story about kids.I hope you enjoy :)
Relationships: Dabi & Takami Keigo | Hawks, Takami Keigo | Hawks & Usagiyama Rumi | Miruko, Todoroki Fuyumi & Todoroki Touya
Series: Hogwarts AU [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2029039
Kudos: 15





	1. Goodbye

**Author's Note:**

> I do research on the Harry Potter Universe before I write something, yet it is entirely possible that something slips my mind, and I mess up some facts. If someone notices something weird, I'd be so grateful for a comment. 
> 
> Without further ado, I hope you enjoy my work. :)

Hawks stood on platform 9 ¾.  
In his arms he hugged a cage, smiling down at the little brown owl.  
H1 was sleeping, his head nestled into his feathers.

While H1 might be his companion’s name according to the Commission Hawks had affectionately named him bullet. 

He glanced up to his care-taker, Ueto Tamasine, next to him, who was on the phone with her boss. She was facing away, so Hawks wouldn’t see her discontent expression.  
She should really know though, that Hawks can tell she is feeling under pressure. She is aware of all his training, so she also knows that he has been trained on picking up micro-expressions and gestures…. Not that she was being particularly subtle.

Ueto-sama sighs, hanging up and turns to Hawks, visibly relaxing.  
“What’s up, bub? Excited?”

Hawks smiles back at her, hoping to distract both of them until the train arrives.

“Sure I am! But I’m not nervous.”

“Oh, I know.”, Ueto-sama chuckles “You have no reason to be. With all your training you should easily be the best student at the end of your year.”

Hawks hums thoughtfully, he likes it best when it’s just him an Ueto-sama.  
Back when the Commission had first taken him under their wing he had been four years old and didn’t understand why he shouldn’t call Ueto-sama “mom”.  
Anyway, as time had progressed he got used to calling her by her name instead and only rarely would slip up, leaving him embarrassed and Ueto-sama smiling affectionately.

“Ueto-sama, if I’m being honest, I don’t really get why it should matter how good my grades are compared to the others.”

Ueto-sama smiled understandingly and rested her hand on Hawks shoulders, rubbing comforting circles with her thumb.  
“I know, bub.”  
She looked away, but seemed lost for words. Maybe there was an internal battle for the right words going on in her head as she pinched her lips.  
“I’m sorry bub. I don’t know what to tell you. For now just don’t actively sabotage yourself. You’ll be amazing even without any particular effort. I-”

She hesitated, but with a firm look on her face she continued, “I’ll see what I can do, ok?”

“Yeah.” Hawks said. And “Thanks Ueto-sama.”  
He wanted to have fun these last few minutes before the train would arrive. He’d miss Ueto-sama. Sure, she would come by often enough and check-up on him, but he would miss her.

Hawks set down bullet’s cage beside him and suddenly turned to hug Ueto-sama, wrapping his hands around her hips and smushing his face into the side of her skirt.

She chuckled, raising her hand from his shoulder and laying both arms around his shoulders.

“I’ll miss you too.”, she said.  
One of her hands gently carded through Hawks hair. 

“You know what was my favorite place in Hogwarts?”, she said in a soft voice.  
“A secret room in the library. I discovered it in my third year, so you should count yourself lucky to be learning of it this early. You’ve never even been to Hogwarts and you’re already going to know a secret room! But don’t tell everyone, just your friends, ok? You’ll get there if you open “Healing spells and potions for cats Vol.II”, by Lady Canter-Backburry.”

Ueto-sama continued carding through his hair while recounting stories of her Hogwarts years. Some Hawks had already heard of before, others were new.  
She told him about the sorting hat and how nervous she had been.  
Her first flight lesson and her big wish to be part of the quidditch team, though she never made it.  
Her favorite lessons with weird potions, breathtaking creatures and dangerous plants.

Hawks fisted his hand into the fabric of her skirt and let her voice and the sensation of her hands envelope him.

He was excited about going. And he was sad about leaving.

The platform rumbled and the distant sound of an approaching train cut through Ueto-sama’s words, who had been telling Hawks about Zonko’s Joke Shop.

The gathered families became louder. Parents telling their children not to run off, other first years exclaiming their excitement. Hawks lifted his face off of Ueto-sama’s skirt, blinking at the comparative brightness and watched the train slow to a halt. Eyes wide and mouth shut.

“Come on then bub.” Ueto-sama gently nudged him.

Hawks picked up bullet, Ueto-sama taking the rest of his luggage along and helping him board the wagon before handing him the rest of his belongings. 

Hawks stood on the edge of the door, aware of other students waiting to board.  
“Good-bye, Ueto-sama.” He said bowing down slightly.

“Bye bub. I’ll visit you soon.”

Ueto-sama took a step back, allowing the next kid to board as Hawks turned to find an empty cabin for himself.

He shuffled past multiple cabins filled with older students. They all knew each-other. Old friends meeting again after summer break, familiar routines and comfy smiles. 

Well, he would just have to make those friends. And he was definitely looking forward to having some. 

After ten cabins Hawks glances into one where he only finds one girl sitting by herself. She looks to be a first year, just like him.  
He knocks then opens the door.

“Um, hi. I’m Hawks! Do you mind if I join you?”

The girl turns toward him, breaking out in a grin.

“Hi! You a first year too? I’m Rumi. Nice to meet’cha!”

Hawks thinks he might have discovered a friend already.

“Yeah I’m a first year!” He answers, shutting the cabin door behind him and placing bullet on a seat. He rolls the rest of his luggage in.

“Geez, that’s a big trunk. What’d ya need all that for?” Rumi says, glancing disdainfully at his heap. She seems to only have brought a simple bag containing her books and a cage with a snow owl.  
Hawks lifts opens his trunk, revealing heaps of books.

“Just boring study material though.” he laughs. 

“Looks like textbook Ravenclaw to me.” Rumi scoffs.

Hawks smiles, Ueto-sama was a Ravenclaw... maybe he too could be? Well, it shouldn’t matter.  
“Eeh, I’m not speculating. We’ll find our sorting out soon enough anyways.”

“Hah! Who’re you kidding? Everyone is speculating. But, not me. I already know where I’m going.” Rumi proudly proclaims.

“Oh, and where’s that?”

“Slytherin.”

Rumi leans back, confidently crossing her arms. As if she had announced a victory. Though Hawks had learned that crossing arms was a subconscious sign of defensiveness.  
He had also been given to understand that sortings didn’t really matter. What mattered was his score.  
He couldn’t agree on his score being of any significance, but he absolutely agreed on the lack of gravity to sortings.  
No, this is how Hawks saw it. Scores aren’t that important, they don’t matter. Your sorting doesn’t define you, your house doesn’t matter.  
Here’s what matters though: friends.

Hawks made an impressed expression.  
“Woah! That’s so cool! And you’re really confident about getting into that house too.”

“Of course I’m confident. We Slytherins usually are.”

Rumi relaxed her stance. Hawks happily noted that she seemed truly confident in her Slytherin claim now.

The train whistled. They were about to start their journey. 

Forgetting all about any appearances Hawks ran to the window, his eyes scanning the crowd for Ueto-sama’s face. His perception training helped him in pin-pointing her location in a few mere seconds. There she was. He gasped as he found her already looking back at him. She waved among with the rest of the crowd a slightly forced smile on her face.  
Hawks pressed his hands against the glass. 

“Bye mom.” he mouthed.

Ueto-sama halted. She must have read his lips.  
Then she smiled for real, this time her eyes lighting up in humor. She raised one finger to her lips, signaling him to hush secretively. 

The train took up speed. Ueto-sama started waving again. She mouthed something back, but Hawks wasn’t any good at lip reading yet, so he didn’t figure it out. Slowly, but then faster and faster they drove away. Ueto-sama disappearing from Hawks’ sight along with platform 9 ¾.


	2. Usagiyama Rumi

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hawks meets his first new friend!

Hakwks turned away from the window and took his place next to bullet.   
He smiled at the bird. It‘s just him and bullet now.

Oh. It‘s just him and bullet now.  
For the first time. Ever. Hawks was not supervised.   
He had not noticed what Hogwarts could mean.   
This meant the beginning of a new era.

This meant, Hawks grinned upon realizing, it was time to goof off.

Rumi leaned forward to him.

“Um, hey. Are you sad?”, she seemed lost. She was probably out of her field.

Hawks turned to her, excitement gleaming in his eyes.   
“I’m going to Hogwarts!”

Hawks leaped up, jumping on his seat and laughing loudly.

For a second Rumi was taken aback, before matching Hawk’s excitement with her own.

“Hooooogwarts!!” she hollered.  
The two kids jumped around their cabin, pretending to duel each other.

“Somethingus Magicus!” Hawks yelled pointing his hands towards Rumi.

“Hey! That’s not even a spell!”

“Rumiii. Just pretend it is. Fall over or something.”

“Nuh-uh, deflectus spelliarmus.” She made up.  
“Wanna see how to really win a duel?”

Hawks could see something mischievous and playful in her eyes. It piqued his interest. 

“Ok, show me how it’s done, tough girl.”

Rumi laughed, “Don’t regret it!” she yelled launching herself from her seat and tackling Hawks.  
Hawks face-planted on the soft cushion. He struggled to budge Rumi, who was sitting on him, yet to no avail.

“Hahaha!” she laughed, “Yet another win for the wrestling champion Rumi!”  
She announce herself in the tone of a sports commentator.

“The newbie Hawks doesn’t seem to hold a candle to her! But it should be expected. No one has so far managed to even lay a hand on her.” 

She jumped off of Hawks, pretending to be both the applauding audience and a very humble winner.  
“Oh. Why thank you, thank you.” She bowed dramatically to the pretend audience. 

Hawks righted himself, noticing that Rumi’s attention was off him.

He slid his foot in front of her and shoved her over onto the opposite seat, heftily sitting down on her.

“OOOh! But what is this?” he begins in his own impression of a commentator.  
“Suddenly the ‘newbie’ flips the tabl-”

Rumi sat up, flipping Hawks off her with a mighty heave.

“Looks like the newbie underestimated the champion!”

They grappled with each other on the floor of their cabin. Their hands in the others face, legs shoving and pushing. Hawks attempted to tickle Rumi only to find out that she is not in the least ticklish. He briefly realized with dread his disadvantage before Rumi began tickling him, who is definitely very, very ticklish.

“Ahaha, stop stop!” he begged “I can’t breath!”

Rumi di, mercifully, let him breath again.  
She got off of him and sat down again on the seat opposite to him. Hawks pulled himself onto his seat as well, still giggling and taking gulping breaths. They’re both slightly ruffled, Rumi’s hair looked knotted and tussled. Hawks’ hair probably wasn’t in a much better state.   
He combed his hands through his hair, hoping it looked more presentable.

“Do you wanna be friends?” he asked Rumi.

“Sure.” she smiled.

He already made a friend. Not to mention, Rumi was a lot of fun.

“Did your parents give you an allowance?” he asked Rumi.

“Yeah, a bit. Why?”

“Um, well I didn’t get any, but I really want to try some of the sweets. I heard there’s trolleys with pumkin pie and chocolate frogs.”

“Oh! Yeah that’s a great idea! I could get us some sweets.”

Rumi opened the door of their cabin, glancing up and down the corridor.

“Huh, no one here. Wanna go explore a bit?”

Hawks slipped from his seat. “Sure.”  
And just like that the two first-years found themselves walking through the corridor, giggling as they knocked on doors before running off.

“Hey.” said Rumi. “Did you know that the prefects have a cabin for themselves somewhere at the front of the train?”

Hawks gasped at her. “No, you can’t be serious. Don’t tell me you’re thinking what I think you’re thinking.”

“That’s a lot of thinking. Less brain, more brawn.”

Without further warning she pulled him along until they’re crouched under a door with older students. They’re all wearing different house colors and to Hawks they look like they’re already grown-ups.

“Rumi this is crazy. I thought we were just looking for the sweets trolley.”

“Yes, I’m crazy. And you’re my friend now.” Rumi knocked on the door.

The two sprint down the corridor and hid around the corner where the bathrooms are located. Rumi is stifling her laughter with her hand, Hawks panting as quietly as he can with an unbelieving smile on his face. They glanced around the corner, waiting for a reaction.

“You really are crazy!” Hawks exclaimed in awe, upon which Rumi snorted with an air of supremacy, focus entirely on the door of the cabin. 

Suddenly the door to the toilet behind them swung open, pushing both of them back into the corridor. A man in a robe exited the toilet. He looked like someone Hawks really wouldn’t try to prank, maybe even someone Rumi wouldn’t provoke. 

He had long, black hair, which he probably didn’t comb regularly, an untidy stubble and a frightening scowl.

He glared at them and for a second Hawks thought they’re in for the scolding of their lives.  
Then the man turned away and walked right past them.

“What?” Rumi whispered.  
She got up, seeming insulted by how the teacher just brushed them off.  
“Hey! Com-”

Hawks slaped a hand over her mouth, guess he figured out if Rumi would dare to provoke the scary looking man. 

“No, don’t be that crazy.” He told her. “Come on, let’s find the trolley for real now.”

Unimpressed she let him lead her away. When they arrived back in the wagon of their cabin they found a sweets trolley currently rolling through their corridor.

Rumi bought them each a chocolate frog and they went back in their cabin. 

Once inside Hawks let the frog go, so it could jump around a bit. He had never had one of these before, only ever having looked at them longingly from a distance where he could see them in sweets shops. He giggled as the frog tried to climb his hair, but slipped, leaving streaks of chocolate clinging to his hair.   
Rumi already ate her frog. 

“I bet the talking hat is gonna be real appreciative of the chocolate you smear on it.”, she teased him.

“Oh no!” Hawks attempted to wipe the chocolate out of his hair, managing to stain his sleeves and spread the chocolate out even worse over his hair.  
“Don’t worry.”, Rumi reassured him. “maybe it likes chocolate.”

Hawks pouted at her, crossing his arms.  
Then the train whistled and Hawks realized the rhythm of the tracks was slowing down. They were arriving soon.

Glancing at each other with huge eyes Rumi and Hawks jumped up, both grabbing their belongings.

The train whistled once more then heaved forward and back as it stopped. Rumi swayed with the motion while Hawks lost his balance and stumbled into her.  
They rushed into the corridor which was packed with the rest of the younger students trying to leave all at once, leading to a pushy traffic jam. Hawks and Rumi were swept along and pulled apart by the mass of excited students.

The backpack of a taller student was digging into the side of Hawks’ face. He tried to squeeze out between that student and the one behind him, but found himself thoroughly sandwiched until they came tumbling out of the trains’ door, Hawks nearly falling down as he was suddenly released from his sandwich.


	3. The Sorting Hat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hawks already knows all about the four houses and the famed Sorting Hat. Some wishy-washy lump of old cloth is supposed to tell him who he is. Well, he doesn't need that kind of thing. Only he gets to say who he is. Who needs a hat to know themselves?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm re-reading Harry Potter! I'm already at book five. What this means for this story, is that I'm actually muuuuch better informed. I changed a bit of the second chapter too, but eh, it doesn't matter.   
> Oh! and for anyone else who doesn't know all the names of the characters by heart: Taoshirou is Fatg Gums civilian name and I'm using those in here. :)

“AAAAALL FIRST YEARS! GATHERRR ROUND!” a big booming voice bellowed. Hawks saw a tall and well shaven man swinging a lamp around and the little figures of his soon-to-be classmates gathering round him.  
Rather unceremoniously the professor stacked the lot of them into boats, in which they would cross the lake leading to the great castle of Hogwarts, that was already to be seen in the distance. Some could have described the building as looming, but Hawks thought it appeared rather like a beacon.

As the boats drifted across the lake a huge tentacle rose out of the water waving back and forth. Hawks, along with most of the first-years screeched, while the older students laughed and waved back merrily to the tentacle which afterwards disappeared back beneath the surface of the lake. 

They ducked beneath the branches of a willow tree and found themselves in a cave beneath the school, that lead upwards through a tunnel.

“HEEEEY!” The voice of the tall professor boomed again. “NO RUNNING OFF YOU RUNTS! GET BACK HERE AND WALK IN A LINE!”

They followed the winding staircase up into the school building.   
The inside was breath-taking and Hawks barely had time to marvel at moving staircases and pictures and a ghost appearing out of a wall before he was already in the assembly hall. 

Most students went to sit at one of the four tables, easily moving to their houses. Merely him, along the other first years stayed behind, still waiting to receive their sorting.

Principal Nedzu stood on his chair behind the teachers table in order to look over the students. The principal was maybe even smaller than a first year and really did look like a mouse-bear, Hawks noted with wonder.

“I am happy to welcome you all back to Hogwarts for yet another year of wizardry! Some of you I am welcoming for the first time. You will receive further instructions from your prefects, but for now we will commence with the sorting.

My experience has taught me that nothing much gets through a first-year’s head anyway before they know their house. And further nothing gets through the older students head while they’re all awaiting the feast to begin. Now, dear first-years, come up front where the talking hat will be placed upon your head when your names are called by Professor Nemuri.”

A woman in a professors robe, Professor Nemuri, stood at the front with a scroll in one hand and the talking hat in the other. 

It looked like a normal hat, Hawks wondered. He had thought it had a face, that’s what he had heard back at the Ministry. Then the folds moved and the hat wriggled. It gave itself a mighty shake.  
A seam at the brim opened up and moved like a mouth, two slits squinting like smiling eyes as the hat bellowed out a song.

Come forward, young’uns, if you dare,  
to let me find which strengths you bear.  
Do not doubt, that I can see  
all your thoughts and mysteries.  
The sly, ambitious, cunning mind,  
in Slytherin shall find their kind.  
The brave and noble of strong heart,  
of Griffindor shall be made part.  
And as for what house Hufflepuff stands:  
a loyal heart and a working hand.  
And Ravenclaw has never seen.  
A mind that wasn’t smart or keen.

So step forward, come! And put me on.  
Remember to applaud my song.  
Now shall be revealed that which is true.  
As I know best the heart of you.

And just as the hat had demanded the hall filled with applause and the hat smiled proudly.

“Ohara Kadou”, called Professor Nemuri, placing the hat upon a boys head after he had walked up and taken a seat on the three-legged stool. He looked intensely nervous.

“Haha!”, the hat laughed suddenly.  
“GRYFFINDOR!” it boomed. The boy stood up with a shaky smile on his face and took his seat on the end of the Gryffindor table. All houses were applauding, but the Gryffindor table seemed to be particularly motivated about it.

Huh, what did it matter what house someone gets?

“HUFFLEPUFF!”, came the next announcement, followed by another thunderous applause

A house couldn’t define you. A sorting couldn’t express your character.

“RAVENCLAW!”, the hat bellowed, as the hall erupted into applause again.

You had to know by yourself who you are and what it means to you. Using a hat as a scapegoat to actually define yourself... Hawks’ mood was growing sourer.

“Usigami Rumi.”, Nezumi-sensei called, pulling Hawks out of his thoughts.

Hawks saw his friend emerge from the tangle of first-years far to the left side from him.  
She sat down confidently, as if daring anyone to defy her or what she wanted. But Hawks knew to recognize that tiny flicker of doubt in her eyes. He just knew that he’d have to get through to her.

He jumped up and yelled “Rumi!”

His friend turned to him, delight on her face to have spotted each other again.

Then she yelled back “Watch this!”, confidence flooding her face.

And as the hat was set on her head it barely touched her when it proclaimed.

“SLYTHERIN!”

Rumi jumped up happily. Nemuri-sensei was slightly taken aback by how fast the hat had decided the new student’s sorting.

“Sometimes you just know.” the hat casually explained when Professor Nemuri held it in her hands again.

“Alright then, Hawks-...” Nemuri studied her scroll “No, just Hawks it seems. Come up please.”

Hawks casually strolled up to the chair, taking his seat with a nonchalant expression as the hat was set upon his head.

Then he heard its voice. He could tell that only he was hearing it. It was talking directly into his thoughts.

“Oh?”, it said. “You think what I’m doing doesn’t matter?”

Hawks huffed, that was fairly obvious.

“Aha, so that’s what you say. But you know, I can see deeper into who you are. I know what you’re thinking. I know why you’re thinking these things. I can see your past and those things which drive you on.”

Hawks purposefully did not stiffen.

“And I can see who told you that housings don’t matter too. So, I’ll let you in on a secret: Those old party-poopers are grown-ups and there are a lot of things they don’t understand, yet still insist on knowing best.”

That Hawks could agree to.

“Furthermore, dear Hawks, we both know it does matter to you.”

For a second Hawks was confused. He was sure it really didn’t. After all, he would be fine no matter which house he ended up in.

“If you didn’t care at all, then tell me, why do you want to be in Ravenclaw so much?”

Ueto-sama…  
Hawks didn’t finish his thought.

The hat chuckled. “It’s ok, little one, but as I’m seeing you and your heart, I can’t deny there is one place you should be. A place where you belong. Will you allow me to sort you, even if you don’t get to be in Ravenclaw?”

Feeling out of his depth and slightly shaken Hawks agreed. He would let the hat take control.

In his thoughts he felt the hat smile and a knowing, compassionate aura enveloped his mind.

“HUFFLEPUFF!”

The hat was taken off his head and Hawks walked over to the table where one more first-year was already sitting.

He glanced over to Rumi who was smiling and sticking him a thumbs-up. The hall was filled with applause, most of it coming fro the hollering Hufflepuffs. 

Hawks sat next to the other first year, who had been sorted into the house before him. 

“Hey looks like we’re in the same house.”, Hawks said in greeting.

“Yup. I’m Taishirou, You’re Hawks, I heard. Do ya really not have a last name though?”

“No, just Hawks.”, he hoped Taishirou would brush it off.

“Wanna be friends?”

“Yes!”, Hawks jumped up a bit in excitement. Having other kids around was so nice.

Taishirou smiled, he had a nice and easy-going grin. “I’ve got another friend in our year, but she’s a girl, so we won’t be rooming together anyway. I hope she gets into Hufflepuff too though, then we could all hang out together.”

Hawks was excitedly tittering in his seat. “We can hang out with everyone! Doesn’t matter which house they’re in.”

“Yeah!”, said Taishirou, his mouth opening in amazement like he hadn’t thought of it before. “You’re right! I’m so excited, about, about.. everything!” and he spread his arms wide in a huge gesture, nearly knocking a goblet of the table in doing so.

“Tatsuma Ryuuko.” Nemuri-sensei read.

“Oh! That’s my friend.” Taishirou hushed Hawks.

Both boys turned their attention towards the girl coming forward to receive her sorting.  
She sat down and the hat was placed upon her head.

“Hmm, hm.” the hat said. Then, contently “Aah, yes. I see.”  
Taishirou was gripping the edge of the table.

“GRYFFINDOR!”, the hat boomed.

Taishirou deflated for a second, so Hawks gave him a nudge and whispered “That’s so cool for her!” Taishirou flashed him a smile of gratitude and joined the chorus of applause and welcome.

When the last of the first-years were sorted, Principal Nedzu stood again on his chair and spread his arms in a festive manner as he announced: “Let the feast begin!”

Trays of the most mouth-watering food descended from the ceiling and their goblets filled up with juices and water.   
Diving onto the food and helping himself to as much food as he could manage to eat, Hawks got to know his other Hufflepuff companions. He talked and laughed quite a bit with another boy called Tenya Tensei and blushed a bit at the pretty girl with white hair and red streaks.   
Her name was Todoroki Fuyumi, which meant she was the daughter of Enji Todoroki himself. Probably Hawks greatest hero.  
The man was one of the greatest Aurors ever and Hawks admired him so, so much.   
The girl didn’t talk long to him though and the older boy next to her with pure white hair mustered him suspiciously and somewhat haughtily.

What a prick, probably. He had a certain rich-boy aura he was giving off. Hawks could smell that from miles. After all, most grown-ups of the Ministry were like that too.

Taoshirou nudged Hawks with his elbow “Hey, Hawks. Guess what I just heard.”  
Hawks pulled up his eyebrows while still chewing to indicate his interest.

“I just overheard one of the older girl say something. Do ya see that grumpy, maybe kind of unshowered dude at the teachers table.”

Well, calling a professor ‘dude’ was definitely not appropriate, but Hawks ignored that, turning to the teacher where he spotted the Professor he and Rumi had run into on the train. He shuddered.  
“Oh, yeah. I’ve met him.”

“Ya have?”, asked Taoshirou, seeming alarmed “Well did ya know, that is our Head of House?”

Hawks froze, then whipped back around to Taoshirou with wide eyes.  
“No way!”, he said, some chewed up pieces of food falling out of his mouth.

“Hah! Woah, you should see your face! But yeah, that’s what I thought too. I expected our Head of House to look, well, I don’t know, like a nice granny who always has candy in her pockets.” Taoshirou shrugged, turning back to his food. Then as another thought he added on “Though, he’ll be our Head of House for a reason. Maybe he only looks grumpy.”

But Hawks, having had that short interaction on the train, did not quite believe it.

As the feast finished an older boy, apparently the prefect of Hufflepuff, rounded the house up and lead them to their common room. The first years were walking right behind him, so that they would hear his instructions.

“Now, It would be best if you managed to remember the directions as soon as possible, though don’t hesitate to ask your upperclassmen and women for help whenever you need it. Especially in the first few days you won’t know your way around very well. Also feel free to ask for advice concerning classes, tricky magic, your feelings or any of your worries. You’ll come to find that here in Hogwarts your house is like your family. Oh, and we’re already here. Welcome to the Hufflepuff Basement.”

The prefect stood in front of an assortment of barrels. 

“Pay attention to how to enter your common room. You will definitely regret it if you forget.” he said, blinking mischievously. He went to the second barrel in the row and knocked a rhythm on the lower half of it. In the wall behind a round hole appeared, a tunnel leading through it and into the black.

“Who’s supposed to get through that? An owl?” a voice whispered behind Hawks.

The prefect had walked up to the hole. “Right then, follow me.”, he said. Then, as if he wasn’t doing anything peculiar at all he climbed into the hole and started to crawl through it.   
With a shrug of her shoulders one of the other first-years followed him and soon Hawks found himself crawling through the tunnel as well.  
At first it was a bit dark and he bumped his head into the butt of the boy in front of him, but then there was a warm light ahead and they emerged into a cozy and homey room.  
There was a fire crackling away in the fireplace. Above it hung a picture of a smiling witch raising a cup, the title read ‘Helga Hufflepuff”. 

Hawks spun around, taking in the earthy tones of the common room. Yellow and black, the house colors, decorated the walls. Copper and wood along with the sunshine filtering in from small round windows gave the room a distinctly safe and warmhearted feeling. Plants decorated the room along with cats that slept on any available surface and some surfaces that one might have thought were unavailable, but the cats had figured out how to bend according to their will.

“Helga Hufflepuff.”, announced the prefect as all the first-years had arrived.   
Other students were still pouring through, but this speech didn’t seem to be aimed at them.

“That is the name of our founder. Along with The other three founders she braved the task of establishing a school of witchcraft and wizardry. Her name is also the rhythm that you need to tap on the barrel to enter. For all of you who didn’t pay attention, it’s the second barrel from the left, lower half. If you get it wrong, you’ll regret it. But I’ll leave it to the unlucky ones among you to discover just what I mean by that.   
Now, if you’ve listened to the song from the sorting hat, you might have already heard two of the values we aim to uphold most in this house, loyalty and hard work. Though there are more. Furthermore, a Hufflepuff is of patient nature, values fairness, will act justly and be modest.   
You’ll find these traits are rather less specific. That is due to our founder believing that anyone can become a witch or a wizard. I’m going to say only once that I hope to see all of you bearing that same attitude and not excluding anyone, but I’m probably only saying it once, since it has never needed repeating before, not for a Hufflepuff student.”

The prefect then pointed to the tunnel leading to the girls dormitory and the tunnel leading to the boys dormitory where Hawks bundled up to along with Tensei and Taishirou. 

They found all of their belongings already on one of the fourposter beds each. Colorful patchwork quilts hung over their beds.

Changing into his pyjama and checking shortly that none of his books had went missing, Hawks went to sleep. The long day had left him rather tired and he fell into a soft and dreamless slumber.

**Author's Note:**

> So that's my first chapter! Thank you for reading.


End file.
